A thump on the kick drum lurches a restless audience to its feet. A light jingle on the wind chime sends hands flying in celebration.

An opening twang on the guitar and a sweltering, unified scream washes away thoughts of the outside world.

Harmonized vocals fill the room and the ride begins.

“Listen to the wind blow, watch the sun rise …”

It’s “The Chain,” the first of a 24-song set from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group Fleetwood Mac, playing Des Moines for the first time since 2015. An estimated 10,000 journeyed through spitting October snow to see the famed outfit perform at Wells Fargo Arena, Iowa’s largest indoor stage.

The show made its Des Moines stop in the first month of a tour where fans won’t see longtime songwriter and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham belting classic Fleetwood Mac choruses. The band fired Buckingham earlier this year, and, in response, the songwriter filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against his longtime bandmates.

Neil Finn of Crowded House fame and Mike Campbell, longtime Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist, took Buckingham’s place in Des Moines, where Fleetwood Mac offered Iowans a two-and-a-half-hour set spanning five decades of haunting, blues-infused songwriting.

Off stage, headlines of a $12 million lawsuit and the internal discourse that caused it surround Fleetwood Mac. But, on stage, the group appears unflinching in celebrating its time-tested catalog of classic rock.

It’s like the song goes ... “You will never break the chain.”

World turning with a new lineup: So, it’s not completely the original band. But that’s what to expect with classic rock in 2018.

John Mayer gigs with members of the Grateful Dead. Axl Rose filled in on vocals for AC/DC. Vince Gill’s circling the world as a member of the Eagles.

Just last week, Nirvana’s surviving members reunited with Joan Jett and Deer Tick’s John McCauley singing Kurt Cobain lyrics.

If you want to celebrate “The Chain” and “Don’t Stop” and “Little Lies,” you’ve got to be OK with a little fantasy draft rock ‘n’ roll.

Plus, it wouldn’t be a Fleetwood Mac tour without a little drama, right?

“This is show number six for us,” Fleetwood Mac vocalist Stevie Nicks said. “We’re really happy to be able to share these first shows with you. You’re our sounding board. You’re kind-of part of this. We’ll never forget you because of that.”

A brilliantly entertaining guitarist, Campbell fits smoothly into the group. He’s flashy when the set need flash, like 1969’s “Oh Well” or show rarity “Black Magic Woman,” but his playing mostly compliments the band’s best songwriting. He adds a notable touch on numbers such as “Second Hand News” and “Gold Dust Woman” without hijacking the spotlight from Nicks or keyboardist Christine McVie.

Finn’s a fine substitute on vocals, adding a hearty kick to iconic Buckingham lines in “The Chain” and “Go Your Own Way.” And it’s a complete blast to watch he and Nicks feed off each other — and surprise the audience — during “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” a cover of Crowded House’s biggest track.

Say you love the setlist: Backed by five additional touring members, Fleetwood Mac balanced can’t-be-missed-hits with a sprinkling of rarities dating back five decades.

McVie and Campbell led respective solos on “Black Magic Woman,” a song written by Fleetwood Mac but made famous by Santana in 1970. The group brought to life classic rock favorites such as “Little Lies” and “Dreams,” but also dug deep into the catalog by performing 1973’s “Hypnotized” or 1970’s “Tell Me All The Things You Do.”

The night featured plenty of “Rumors,” too, with seven tracks coming from the acclaimed 1977 album. Nicks and Finn offered an acoustic rendition of fan-favorite “Landslide.”

“I would like to dedicate this to, seriously, being in the snow,” Nicks, introducing “Landslide,” told the audience. “This song was written in Aspen, Colorado in 1973 and there were snow covered hills.”

A free fallin’ return: McVie reliably led “You Make Loving Fun” before Nicks and Finn brought the initial set to a close with an eerie “Gold Dust Woman” and energetic “Go Your Own Way,” respectively.

The band waved a temporary “goodbye,” only to return for an encore tribute to legendary songwriter Tom Petty, who died last year of cardiac arrest. Nicks, a longtime friend and collaborator of Petty’s took lead vocals on a cover of 1989 hit “Free Fallin’.”

Photographs of Nicks, Campbell and Petty flashes across the arena’s megascreen during the tribute.

The band brought out one more hit,” Don’t Stop,” before closing with a Nicks-McVie duet, 1995’s “All Over Again” — a subtle nod to what waits off stage.

“It’s a song about change,” she said. “It’s a song about surviving change. It’s a song about the future.”

FLEETWOOD MAC NEWS ON FACEBOOK

In April, 2013 New York Times Author Anthony Bozza began working with legendary drummer Mick Fleetwood on his life story, which will span the entire history of the band that bears his name.

In this candid, intimate portrait of a life lived in music, Mick Fleetwood sheds new light on well-known points in his history, including many incredible moments of recording and touring with Fleetwood Mac, as well as personal insights from a man who has been a major player in blues and rock 'n' roll since his teens.

The group Fleetwood Mac has sold over 140 million records worldwide, and they continue to attract a huge following, selling out their biggest arena tour ever in 2013, decades after their debut. Finally, the group's admirers will have a unique portrait of what made Mick and the rest of the group tick in the midst of their massive success and personal trials.

Stevie Nicks made history in March when the beloved singer-songwriter became the first female artist inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice - first as a member of Fleetwood Mac in 1998, and this year for an extraordinary solo career that spans nearly 40 years.

To honor Nicks' groundbreaking achievement, Rhino has assembled a variety of new releases that celebrate her solo career with essential recordings chosen from studio albums, live performances, and soundtrack contributions, plus several of her most-celebrated collaborations with artists including Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Don Henley, Lana Del Rey, and Lady Antebellum.

STAND BACK is available On 3-CD, 1-CD, 6-LP Vinyl, And Digital Versions.

Fleetwood Mac celebrates half century of music with a new 50-song collection that is the first to explore the group's entire career, from its early days playing the blues, to its global success as one of the most-enduring and best-selling bands in rock history. 50 YEARS-DON'T STOP is available as a 50-track, 3-CD set, a 5-LP vinyl set and a 20-track single CD version. Also available on all digital download and streaming services as well.

The new compilation touches on every era in the band's rich history and offers a deep dive into Fleetwood Mac's expansive catalog by bringing together essential tracks released between 1968 and 2013.

Solo Anthology: The Best of Lindsey Buckingham is a comprehensive record of his illustrious career. Out October 5th on Rhino Records, Buckingham’s Solo Anthology will be released as a 3-disc set on CD and digitally and will also be available as a single disc abridged release. A 6-LP vinyl release is slated for November 30th.

Similar to last year's Record Store Day where Fleetwood Mac released the alternate "Mirage" album by taking the previously issued CD from the duluxe edition reissue and making it a stand alone album, Fleetwood Mac will once again bust out the alternative album cd from 2017's deluxe reissue of "Tango In The Night". For the very first time, these alternate tracks will make their way to vinyl for this years Record Store Day on April 21st. Warner Bros. will press 4,000 copies of the vinyl for the US and 8,500 in total worldwide.

“Most of these songs were written between 1969 and 1987. One was written in 1994 and one in 1995. I included them because they seemed to belong to this special group. Each song is a lifetime. Each song has a soul. Each song has a purpose. Each song is a love story… They represent my life behind the scenes, the secrets, the broken hearts, the broken hearted and the survivors. These songs are the memories - the 24 karat gold rings in the blue box. These songs are for you,” commented Nicks.

Order '24 Karat Gold - Songs From The Vault

FLEETWOOD MAC 'TANGO IN THE NIGHT'

REMASTERED AND EXPANDED

(RELEASED MARCH 31, 2017)

Featuring the hits “Little Lies,” “Everywhere,” “Seven Wonders” and “Big Love,” this 30th anniversary collection is available in Deluxe- 1LP/3CD/1DVD, Expanded - 2CD, 1CD Remaster and Digital Download and on all streaming services.

MERCHANDISE

NEW ALBUM IN THE WORKS
Christine was a guest on the Ken Bruce radio program on BBC Radio 2 and was featured each morning between Oct 7th and 11th choosing the "Tracks of My Years". Each day included a short interview clip with Christine along with her track choice and why. During the last day Christine revealed that she's currently working on new material and hopefully a forthcoming solo album saying its a return to her musical sound of the 70's.